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Aging Studies/Gerontology Minor

About this program

Metropolitan State University has responded to the need for education in the field of gerontology with a minor to address the social, psychological and physical aspects of aging.

Students interested in gerontology as a career can complete the human services BS degree with a gerontology minor. This minor also complements coursework in nursing, social work and the social sciences. Interpersonal sensitivity - knowing one's value system, as well as cultural and sexual identity, in addition to how these affect interactions with people of different cultures, gender, lifestyles and age levels, is necessary for students selecting gerontology as a vocational area.

Student outcomes

Students understand:

the needs of our heterogeneous aging population.

the strengths and contributions of our heterogeneous aging population.

Course requirements

Requirements (20 credits)

This course, designed for students in human services fields who work with the aged, and students considering gerontology as a vocation, is an overview of the field. Topics include understanding the physiological, psychological and sociological aspects of aging, as well as myths about aging, health and social needs of the aging, and community resources and programs.

This course examines issues related to the cognitive and affective development of individuals in their later years. It maps the developmental phases that typically result in impairments that are not physical, and outlines a set of strategies to facilitate coping with those impairments. The course is recommended for those involved in direct services-nurses, activities staff members, social workers and others involved in rehabilitation.

This course is designed for professionals in the field of aging, and covers the normal physical processes of aging. Topics include health concerns, health promotion issues, and the biology and physiology of aging, as well as resources and services concerned with the physical needs of the elderly.

This course covers various aspects of public policy development, and planning for the aged by federal, state and local agencies. Topics include how policies are planned and implemented, the effects of policies on program services, the roles and functions of community organizations, and how they relate to governmental factions in developing, maintaining, and upgrading services and programs for the aged.

This course offers students an opportunity to explore, in depth, a specific issue of aging. Topic choices include: The Older Woman; Widowhood; Counseling Older Adults; and Multicultural Issues of Aging.

Older persons are increasingly defying stereotypes through their dedication to civic, social, and creative causes. In this course, students will examine how activism can be part of successful aging, as well as how older persons contribute to society through a variety of civic engagement activities, ranging from community involvement and volunteerism to participation in the political process.